Releasing clamp



Oct. 10, 1933.

Filed March 12, 1931 gwue'ntov Ken? H hawe abtozmq Patented Oct. 10, 1933' a I l 1329 43 Locke Insulator Corporation, Baltimore, Md., a corporationof Maryland V Application March 12; 1931. Serial. No. 522,080- "'11Claimsr (c1, 248-31 ,;The invention relates to clamps for supporting ing position being. indicated by dot and dash the conductors of high tensiontransmisis on lines lines, V, I and has for its general object the provision of a Figure 2 is a plan view with the suspension novel clamp which will release its grip upon the means in section, and

5 conductor under certaincircumstances. Figure 3'is a vertical cross sectionalview'taken 66} 1 It is well known that itiscustomary to support P t e line 3 rof'Figu e I p j P a conductor bymeans of a clamp suspended'from v eierring more pa t u a y t h aw ng I the lower end of a stringof insulators. It irehave shown the c amp ascomp s werquently occurs that asthe result of the accumuclamping er 10 Wh ehmay Conform t h 1o lation of ice or sleet upon theconductor'a strain generally ac pted standards or which might be 6i? is set up which swings the string of insulators to oi, special construction; This lower member one sideto an abnormal and dangerous extent. v has a (conductor reee v gs v' therein The same thing occurs in case the Conductor which is'arcu'at'e'in cross section and'longitudibreaks at either side of the clamp. It is with na11y curved so that the ends 12'wi11 be 1 s 15 these facts in view that I have devised the present ik m i n 80 as o avoidbriingihe a'11vbe11d- 7Q invention which-has for-an important object the Strains 1 the conductolj'in e" ve t provision of a clamp which will remain effective vibration or dancing, .e e uc {Q even though the stringof insulators shouldbeop ating with this lowermember is an upper come tilted to a limited extent, as they may of a p m m er 13 Similarly f med "with a go course under the-influence of wind, theconstruce, tra sv s ve s t .14 f r th r pti 75 tion being such that the clamp will not release e c ndu or 15% The lower member 1 0' is I its grip until the safe angularity of the insulator formed at its sides with apertured .bosses'ffi'o string has been exceeded. V through whichpass U.-'bolts 17 whichfof course A very important object of the invention is to straddle the pp e p member 13 andthe provide a'clamp in which the movement of the e a d which are r v d w t utsjlafieo parts to released'position is away fromthe cont being e ra to e sp it sp i svvashers ductor instead of toward it, thereby insuring opthe like b n en the'llndersides 9 erativenessof the clamp even though it may t 1008385150 as 1 ive ,a certain amount: of be encrusted with ice' or sleet; resilience V i at v i v 1 80 'Aonther object is to provide a clamp in which e m n for conn cting the clamp with a 5 the release is efiected by a tripping action, the String, of insulators, not shown, preferably c parts being undisturbed until the suspension p ises links 203ap l s 2101 l h wise means swings beyond a predetermined limit; c r connection w W te e men s A further'object is to provide a clamp of such p 8 th lower end ators,

construction that the force with which it grips These li k pivo llv supp rt the'clampandiar'e 9Q theconductor may be varied. r p e e ed a hav ns' e n ated s10ts22 i i he A more specific object is to provide aclamp eml r e ged u nt 11 1 3 W h p obodying lever means for applyingth Clamping JeCt' laterally -9 h lower member a d pressure upon the conductor. v jp e a v v downward y prolon ed or An additional object'is to provide a device of e e i sj e e 24 ch overlie the n ee this character which will'besimple' andinexf we c f il e t e in We ii h pensive to makefeasy to assemble and install, fi re ve th P v mm a f fi g positive in action, efiicient and durable inv serve m? a 'm i l' fi 7 bei's into gri'pping relation to the conductor and Q a m thg ai this means includes" levers 25 which have their v C(mslsts gh g q fi ing; g i g a g toe portions 26 engaged'beneathythejbight poriarrangemen; an 7Com m a 1tions-oi the ,U-bolts and which'have heelporhereinafterrmore ,fully described and cla med tions 7 7 1 on the uppe r member 13.

and illustrated in the accompanying drawing h e levers curve, extend toward each other which: r v i .and havetheir inner ends located between. the

Figure l is a Side elevation O Clamp links 20. ;Cooperating with these levers are trip structedin accordance with myinvention, parts actuated retaining members 2 8 pivoted at .29

Es PATENT F iiE 5 5 being-broken away and in section and the releasupon opposite sides of the upper clamping m m.. Y

ber 13 and formed on their confronting faces with lugs 30 which extend inwardly and which normally overlie outwardly extending lugs 31 on the inner ends of the levers 25 so that these levers will be held down in clamping relation to the clamping members. These members 28 have outstanding -hornsor .projections 32 thereon embracing the links but normally spaced therefrom so as not to be engaged by the edges of the links unless the links are tilted beyond a certain angularity with respect to the clamp.

Thenormal position of the parts ,is-zas;-shown in Figure 1 and it will be observed that owing tothe engagement of the lugs 31'*beneaththe; lugs the levers 25 reactingagainst'the upper clamping member 13 at the fulcrum points 27 will hold the clamping members firmlynuponithe conductor. The degree of pressure can be adjusted by means of the nuts 18. Normal swinging move- 20 .ment-ottheinsulator string and links .20 is permissible but if the angularity exceeds a certain degree, as itswilllin the-event of breakage oILLthe conductor or as the result of'an'accumulation of .ice -or ...sleet at one side of the clamp, the links 20 will engage against one set or other of the horns -.-or,.projections 32 and rock the retainingL'memllbers'2'8 upontheir pivot29 whereupon the lugs Q3oiwill rideofffrom the lugs lilhthereby releasing Ithefdownwar'd pressure. upon the levers andper- .mitting'them to swing upwardly at their inner ends. "Owing 'to the,peculiar shapeofthe'levers and the? location 1 of their "fulcrum points they will then 'ceaselto.exert,pressure upon the U- bolts arid the clamping members become ineffectti'veori releasetheirgrip upon the'conductor so lthatitcanslide through until the strain at op- ..posite sides of the clamp will be equalized. When normal conditionsare. restored the clamp will not iregrip .the.conductor automatically but will re- 40 quire ithe services of la mechanic. This .is..of

advantage. asparticularly in.the case of an ar- ..mo're'd cable. it would not be advisable to havethe .clanipingactionresume'din case the .armorlha'd .slippe'd entirely through the clamp.

g- .lirom..the; foregonigdescfiptionarid a study of ttheLdraWing .it --.w.ill be. apparent j. that .-I .have p=.thus .provide'd.a .very.jsimple clamp composed of but 'few parts and which will fiiciently-pperform the functions for. which it is intended. Par- 'ticular noteshouldlbe, given to'.the"feature'that the. releasing of. the grip. involvesa movement of L'thaparts upwardly or 'away-from' the conductor. Thisiisffarprferable thanlif the reverse were time .asit isclear thatif release involved movelment .of ithe parts ldownwardly or vtoward the conductor I-theaction might .be very seriously .rinteffered vvvithincase or an "accumulation of ice .on ..the .Ezlamp itself 1 as such lice -wouId have qtosbecrushedabefore. the,parts..could.move. .Any diCfiIQIltthG clamp willl-not.noticeably hinderthe .releasing:-action. It is thoughtthatthe. construction, operation and advantages should be readily lapparent toone-skilled in theartwithout further explanation.

:I :have c shown and described the preiierred'-.embddiment lofr the invention, it should be understood.th'atthedisclosure is merely an exem- N -filifioation f theprinciples involved as the'right -is reserved-to=make=all such changes in the details of constructionas-will"=widen'the field of ut'ility= and increase the adaptability .o'f the, deviee provided -such 1 changes "constitute no 'de- -parture from the spirit'oi' the invention or the "scope of 'the"claims 'hereunto apperrded.

vclampingmembers, means including a plurality Having thus described the invention, I claim: 7 1. A suspension clamp for a conductor comprising a pair of clamping members, suspension means therefor, lever means engaging one clamping member at a plurality of points for normally main'laining the clamping members in clamping engagementupon the conductor, and means directly pivoted on one clamping member for main- .tainingthe levers in effective position cooperating withthe suspension means for releasing the clamping action of the lever means upon movement I flotilla-suspension means beyond a predetermined extent.

.:2. A-.'conductor suspension clamp comprising :of levers normally maintaining the clamping membersinclamping relation, means directly pivoted on one clamping member for holding the leverslin efiective position, suspension means, and means cooperating with the suspension means i for inovingsaid holding. means out of-engagen'ient iviththe levers upon movement otthe suspension =means beyond -a predetermined extent.

-3.-*A conductor suspension clamp'colnpr-isin'g clamping-members engageable upon a "conductor, 1 lever means reacting again'st..one"clampingnnember at" a plurality of. spacedapointsi for :mormally maintaining ra clamping .t-action uponithe conductor, swingable imeans :pivoted ionfisaid cone clamping member normallylmaintaining said. lever means efiective, =suspen'sion uneans, "and? means "cooperating with i.the .zsuspen'sionz means :upon movement .thereofibeyondlarpredeterminemextent -for swinging Tren'dering said zmaintaining means ineffective.

4. A conductor suspension clamp comprising a pair 'of: clamping members en'gageable upon-61a "conductor, means reacting against one Lclamping member at opposite sides: of iltheccenter athereof for normally. maintaining-the clamping members: 115 -clampingr-engagement upon tthe :iconductor, means-pivoted on -theclampingfmernber which; is engaged by the leversior mnnallyiinaintairmg said :means :eflective, ssuspension r-m'eans, rand meanscopera'blecnpon abnormal movement: ofvthe :12 "suspensiommeansifor releasing-said; maintaining means.-

5. -'A conductor "suspension :clampccomprising a pair of clamping:members,:.U=:-bolts.carriedzby aone'rmemberzand straddling the. other,: leversaen-im5 :zgage'd wvith'ini'the rbightportions of the .Ug-bolts :amtreactingzagainst theiadjacent'clampingmember, fimeans :pivoted son said :ad-jacent =-clamping :rnember :Ior. normally holdingusaid -levers .-'sta- :tionary isuspen'sion :means, :and means operable 21 upon movement of the-suspension means-beyond --apredeterminedextenti for. releasing said holding 6. A conductor .snspensioncclamp comprising :uppereand flower :clampingrmembers:engageabletj 5 "upon asconductor, levers.located-.-above the clampingmembersz-and reacting L downwardly thereon, means= pivoted on .the upper clamping .member normally i holding said levers :against movement whereby theyp.will-.maintain the 'clamping mem- 1 1 bers inelamped engagement upon the conductor, .jsuspen'sion. means, and means cooperating wi h fth'e suspension means i'or"rele'asing sai'dlevers.

. 'Il A conductor suspension clamp comprising up per and lower clampingfmem'bers 'disposable i45 "upon 'a conductor, U boltsnarrie'd "by the lower clamping member and straddling the uppenone, levers having toe portions -'-engaged wi'thin the -'bights of the U '-'bolts and having heeI portions v "reactingagainst the upper clampingniemben-re- 1-50 taining means normally engaging the inner ends of the levers, suspension means, and means engageable by the suspension means upon movement thereof beyond a predetermined extent for moving said retaining means out of engagement with the levers.

8. A conductor suspension clamp comprising upper and lower clamping members engageable upon a conductor, U-bolts carried by the lower clamping member and straddling the upper one, levers reacting against the bight portions of the U-bolts and the upper clamping member for maintaining the clamping members inclamping engagement upon the conductor, pivoted means on the upper clamping member normally engaging the inner ends of said levers for main taining them effective, and suspension means engageable with said pivoted means upon movement beyond a predetermined extent for rendering the levers ineffective.

9. A conductor suspension clamp comprising upper and lower clamping members, bolts carried by the lower clamping member and extending over the upper one, levers reacting against said bolts and the upper clamping member for normally maintaining a clamping relation, members pivoted on the upper clamping member and normally overlying the inner ends of said levers for maintaining them effective, and suspension means for the clamp engageable with said pivoted members for moving them out of engagement with the levers and releasing the latter when the suspension means moves beyond a predetermined extent.

10. A conductor suspension clamp comprising upper and lower clamping members, bolts carried by the lower clamping member and extending over the upper one, levers reacting against said bolts and the upper clamping member for normally maintaining a clamping relation, members pivoted on the upper clamping member and normally overlying the inner'ends of said levers for maintaining them effective, and suspension means for the clamp engageable with said pivoted members for moving them out of engage ment with the levers and releasing the latter when the suspension'means moves beyond a predetermined extent, said pivoted members having outstanding portions embracing thesuspension means.

11. A conductor suspension clamp comprising upper and lower clamping members, bolts carried by the lower clamping member and extending over the upper one, levers reacting against said bolts and the upper clamping member for normally maintaining a clamping relation, members pivoted on the upper clamping memberand normallyoverlying the inner ends of said levers for maintaining them effective, and suspension means for the clamp engageable with said pivoted members for moving themout of engagement with the. levers and releasing the latter sion means in spaced relation thereto for enabling the'suspension means to have limited movement before engaging said pivoted members.

KENT A. HAWLEY. 

